ISL 2024-25: Mohun Began vs East Bengal to be played in Guwahati; Ashique Kuruniyan out of Kolkata derby
ISL 2024-25: Mohun Began vs East Bengal to be played in Guwahati; Ashique Kuruniyan out of Kolkata derby
The Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 will be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, Assam, on 11 January.
The decision, almost finalised last week, was pending police permission, which was granted on Wednesday.
“There were some meetings in Assam for which the police took some time, but we now have the venue confirmed. East Bengal were also informed of the decision some time ago,” a source close to Mohun Bagan told Sportstar.
The match, originally scheduled to take place at the Salt Lake Stadium, was relocated after the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate stated that hosting the game would be challenging.
With the Ganga Sagar Mela scheduled in West Bengal from January 10 to 18, the police said it would be difficult to provide adequate security for such a high-profile fixture.
It is understood that there were discussions about rescheduling the game, but Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the organisation that manages the ISL, decided to adhere to the original date.
As a result, alternative venues such as Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, and Guwahati were considered during a meeting earlier this week, with Guwahati ultimately being confirmed as the host city.
However, the Mariners will be without winger Ashique Kuruniyan, who is recovering from an injury. “Barring Ashique, the whole team is fit,” the source added.
